San Pedro Mummy
San pedro mummy.jpg|San Pedro Mummy X-rays of mummy.jpg|X-ray of the mummy Real Name: Unknown (nick-named "Pedro") Case: Unidentified Remains/Mysterious Legends Location: San Pedro Mountains, Wyoming Date: 1932 Case Details: For centuries, multiple Native American tribes have talked about two-foot tall beings that perform super-human feats. They are known as the "little people". In 1932, prospectors Cecil Mann and Frank Carr were exploring the San Pedro Mountains in Wyoming when they found an unusual mummified figure within a cave. The figure was six inches high and in a sitting position. It had a flattened skull and brown skin, with wisps of gray hair coming from the back of the head. They believed that the mummy may have been part of a race of "little people". Several days later, Cecil returned to the cave and took the mummy. The discovery made headline news in the area. Some believed that Native Americans had placed the mummy in the cave. Cecil did not seem to care what the mummy was; he was just interested in selling it. He soon found a buyer: an insurance salesman named Homer Sherrill, who purchased it for $25 in 1934. Homer used the mummy as part of a sideshow attraction, charging people twenty-five cents to look at it. The mummy remained an attraction for several years. Homer later gave the mummy to a used car salesman named Ivan Goodman. In 1950, Goodman brought it to Dr. Paul Martin of the Chicago Museum of Natural History. He took photographs and x-rays of the figure. The x-rays revealed that the remains were of a species between a mature infant or an under-sized human being about seventeen inches tall. Dr. Martin believed that it suffered from an Anencephaly; this is a condition in which infants are born without a brain and lack a complete skull. As a result, it may take on the physical appearance of an adult. However, other experts claim that the malformed skull could have been the result of a blow to the head. These experts believe that the mummy has other physical characteristics of an adult, including a full set of teeth. Still, many experts believe that it was an Anencephalic infant. In October of 1950, Goodman loaned the mummy to Dr. Leonard Wadler, curator of a New York museum. Goodman believed that he could make a great amount of money if Dr. Wadler could prove that the mummy was a relative of the pygmies, a race of people in Africa and Asia who stand four to five feet in height. However, Goodman died of a sudden stroke a short time later. Dr. Wadler kept the mummy. To date, no one is quite sure what the figure is, or what happened to it. It was last seen in Florida with Dr. Wadler in 1975 and has never been relocated. Extra Notes: This case ran on the February 2, 1994 episode. This case was also featured on the series, Monumental Mysteries. Results: Unresolved. It was later discovered that Dr. Wadler moved to Florida and died in the 1980s. It is not known what happened to the mummy after his death. On the series, "Monumental Mysteries," it was revealed that an airing of this segment forced a couple to realize they had a similar mummy in their possession that also originated from the San Pedro Mountains. An analysis of their remains showed the mummy was that of an infant dating back several thousand years that suffered from anencephaly (absence of a significant portion of the skull and brain). While the original remains have never been found, it is believed they both share the same characteristics. Links: * The San Pedro Mummy at Wikipedia * Wyoming History - Pedro Mountain Mummy * Mummified Pygmy Found * Pliocene Mummy * Casper Indian mummy still missing * Man offers $10,000 for Pedro Mountain Mummy * The Truth Behind the Disturbing Mystery of the San Pedro Mountains Mummy * Into the cave: Is 'Little Man Mine' site where mummy was found? * The mysterious tiny mummy from the mountains in Wyoming * Reddit Discussion of San Pedro Mummy ---- Category:Wyoming Category:1932 Category:Legends Category:Unusual Phenomenon Cases Category:Unresolved